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Pakistan’s Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah and members of his team talk to Indian Indus Water Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Saxena and other members of his delegation during a meeting in Lahore in August. — APP/File

After more than four months of dilly-dallying, India has agreed to fulfil its commitment of getting its two hydropower projects — 1,000MW Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower Kalnal — inspected by Pakistani experts, officials said on Friday.

Pakistani Commissioner for Indus Waters Mehr Ali Shah said a delegation of Pakistani experts will visit the two Indian project sites on Chenab River for an inspection, scheduled for later this month.

"India has also given positive signals regarding inspection of other projects constructed on Chenab River," he revealed while speaking to DawnNewsTV.

Shah said Pakistan had achieved this "success" after forcefully raising the issue of India's violation of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)

Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda hailed the development as a "major breakthrough", saying a delegation led by Shah will visit the Indian hydropower projects at the Chenab Basin for an inspection between January 27 and February 1.

"It’s indeed a feather in [the] Ministry for water resources’ cap. We welcome this gesture from India and we expect the same spirit for resolution of other outstanding issues," the minister said in a series of tweets.

Vawda observed that Pakistan and India have been engaged in the dispute relating to IWT "for ages", but New Delhi had now agreed to schedule the visit of Pakistani experts "due to our continued efforts".

Besides agreeing to an inspection of the Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnal projects, which was scheduled for September, India had also consented to a survey by Pakistani experts of the Kishanganga project at Jhelum basin at a later stage. Reciprocally, Pakistan had agreed to allow India to carry out inspection of Kotri Barrage over the Indus after September.

After initially scheduling the inspection of the projects at Chenab Basin by Pakistani experts from October 7 to 11, New Delhi had postponed the same on the pretext of local bodies’ elections in the respective areas.

During the last week of October, the Pakistani Indus water commissioner had telephoned his Indian counterpart, Pradeep Kumar Saxena, and urged him to give a schedule for the experts' visit. However, Saxena then said it wouldn’t be possible during the first or second week of De­c­em­ber due to local Punchayat elections in Indian occupied Kashmir — the region where these projects are located.

After a reminder in November, Islamabad had on December 24 once again urged India through a letter to fulfil the commitment it made in August to schedule the hydropower projects' inspection by Pakistani experts.

Pakistan's objections

Pakistan has objections to the pondage and freeboard of Lower Kalnal, and pondage, filling criteria and spillway of Pakal Dul hydropower projects on Marusadar River — a right bank tributary of the Chenab.

Under the Indus Waters Treaty, both Pakistan and India are bound to inspect projects and share data related to water flow, storage and releases, and floods.

The treaty also empowers the two countries to mutually resolve their water related issues on their own or through arbitration and appointment of independent experts and other relevant forums.

Under the provisions of IWT, waters of the eastern rivers — Sutlej, Beas and Ravi — had been allocated to India and the western rivers — the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — to Pakistan, except for certain non-consumptive uses by India.

On DawnNews

Comments (33) Closed

Nomi Goraya

Jan 11, 2019 04:30pm

Great breakthrough indeed. Pakistan and India need to work together to keep the things working and water flowing. good news

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M. Saeed

Jan 11, 2019 04:36pm

The Minister for water resources is not correct in saying that, Pakistan and India have been into Indus water treaty dispute for ages. In fact, it was the fault of our Indus Water Commissioners who never performed their duties in time, thus allowing India to build dams in violations of the Agreement. Had the right actions been taken in time, such issues would have cropped cropped up.

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BLUE KNIGHT

Jan 11, 2019 04:58pm

Congratulations to you, Mr. Vawda..

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Khalid

Jan 11, 2019 05:02pm

These are good developments, achieved when politicians, religious leaders and political parties were not involved. Now we know who are the real bottleneck for peace.

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Jjacky

Jan 11, 2019 05:03pm

There is no such news in Indian media.

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Alien1

Jan 11, 2019 05:09pm

They are being allowed to see not inspect, no changes in the dams design.

Is there any need to make political points on this matter ? Both Pakistan and India need to shut their ministers Twitter accounts and do more work to improve common man's live. Enough is enough

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Seedoo

Jan 11, 2019 09:45pm

Thank you India. We need to do this to build trust and long lasting relationship between the 2 nations. This gesture will also help put to rest some of the rumors that may be flying around regarding India stealing water and then flooding our villages at different times. May the best times lay ahead for relationship b.w the 2 countries.

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MAkram

Jan 11, 2019 10:22pm

THis show power of Pakistan.

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Pervez

Jan 12, 2019 12:46am

Has anybody noticed this difference that our side guys are in expensive suits and Indians in working clothes?

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Pervez

Jan 12, 2019 12:47am

@Lone star, afraid of what?

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venkob

Jan 12, 2019 12:49am

@Lone star, you know the reality.

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venkob

Jan 12, 2019 12:54am

@Lone star, let's not bring hatred to some +ve development. Indians can certainly react by saying Pakistan wants to watch and learn how dams are constructed. Let alone objection to it.

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venkob

Jan 12, 2019 01:01am

@M. Saeed, Better stop being arrogant. The tone of Minister itself says that India agreeing to the visit itself is the biggest win. Let alone any objection. Hopefully, you will read those lines and see where Pakistan is really standing.

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Satya Jeet

Jan 12, 2019 01:52am

India has always allowed inspections by Pakistan as mandated in writing in IWT.

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RAja Raman

Jan 12, 2019 01:55am

@Seedoo, Agree with you Bro.

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ABD USA

Jan 12, 2019 02:00am

I will believe it when the Pakistani experts actually travel to India and they are able to actually perform the inspection of the projects.

U-turns is a speciality of your prime minister Niazi — India does not make U-turns.

By the way, India has NOT agreee to an “inspection” but a “visit sans any survey”

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Aravind

Jan 12, 2019 05:56am

No such news in India.

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common man

Jan 12, 2019 06:34am

India is always, always had been magnanimous, starting from the generous payment in 1948 to now

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Ajaya K Dutt

Jan 12, 2019 06:35am

@M. Saeed, - None of the Dams are in Violation of the Treaty. International Court of Arbitration agreed with India.

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Anonymouseeeee

Jan 12, 2019 06:52am

Never trust the Indians. Theyare proven to be backtabbers.

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Anonymouseeeee

Jan 12, 2019 06:53am

@M. Saeed, buddy, we all know that you’re an indian. So why bother posting stuff on dawn pretending to be a Pakistani all the time:

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Komal s

Jan 12, 2019 07:02am

India always agreed to take the Pakistani team to see the sites. Last time it clearly said it has to postpone due to elections. Now elections are over and the visit allowed. Do not cheat thump and mess up the whole thing.

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IAHMED

Jan 12, 2019 07:35am

Instead of wasting time we should go to International Court of Justice.

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Robert

Jan 12, 2019 09:06am

Hang In there, Pakistan. Working together is the way that will bring prosperity and good neighborly relations between the two neighbors. Both the countries can solve all the problems themselves. No need to bring third party or United Nations. Trust and good attitude do matter.